BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- Bald eagles are about to get some new neighbors after the approval of a 288-unit apartment complex in Broomfield. Before signing off on the project, the city council added amendments to develop a plan to monitor the eagles and halt construction if there's any disturbance to the birds.
The project called Caliber at Flatirons would be located South of the Northwest Parkway and East of Via Varra.
According to a briefing from city staff during the meeting, an active eagle's nest is located approximately 600 feet from the southeast corner of the property.
“I think we’ve done quite a bit to protect them," said Karl Stout, with The Garrett Companies. He went on to explain how they increased the length of a sound wall that would be in place during the construction.
A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife said the department has been working with the developer and feels like they've done a good job to mitigate any damage.
The state has a list of recommended buffer zones for eagles. According to the site, there's a recommended buffer zone of a quarter mile between nests and living areas.
The project is contingent on a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The developer hopes to begin construction in March if it is approved.